Controlling devices, for example remote controls, for use in issuing commands to entertainment and other appliances, and the features and functionality provided by such controlling devices are well known in the art. Traditionally, user input means on such controlling devices has comprised a series of command function keys each of which may result in the transmission of a specific appliance command when activated. Increasingly in today's environment, such controlling devices are further used to interact with displayed menu systems, browse web pages, manipulate pointers, and perform other similar activities which may require both navigational input, e.g., to scroll displayed information on a screen, to move a pointer, to zoom in or out, etc., and entry of text data such as URLs, search terms, messages, etc. Although entry of text data and input of navigation operations may be possible using conventional controlling device input mechanisms, for example by assigning groups of alphabetic characters to numeric keys in the style of a telephone keypad and the use of up, down, left, and right arrow keys, such methods tend to be tedious and in many instances the user experience may be improved by the provision of input mechanisms which are better suited to this type of activity.